The Wall Street Journal, citing an unspecified source close to the matter, claims that Nintendo’s upcoming console, the Nintendo NX, will work with its mobile games.
With Nintendo expected to officially reveal theNintendo NXin the coming months, the rumor mill has been in full swing. Earlier today, yet another rumor about the console cropped up courtesy of The Wall Street Journal, which cited an unnamed source stating thatNintendo NXwill be compatible with Nintendo’s lineup of mobile games.
Unfortunately, further details on how Nintendo NX will work in conjunction with Nintendo’s mobile efforts are unavailable at this time, but one can speculate. It seems the most likely scenario would be that Nintendo’s mobile games, such as the upcomingAnimal CrossingandFire Emblemtitles, would work in conjunction with new console entries in the franchises for NX.
Alternatively, Nintendo’s mobile games may work with NX in a more general sense. For example, if NX still uses Mii avatars as Wii and Wii U before it, then theMiitomoappcould allow users to take their NX Mii on the go and unlock new content for it. If that’s the case, it’s easy to see how Nintendo could potentially leverage the popularity of its mobile apps to boost its consoles business, and vice versa.
If Nintendo NX is compatible with mobile devices as rumored, another way Nintendo could leverage mobile to boost interest in the NX is withPokemon.Pokemon GOhas become a smash hit, and whileNintendo didn’t develop the game, it still has a vested interest in the project. In fact, Nintendo is developing thePokemon GOPlus device, and the Big N alsoinvested millions intoPokemon GOdeveloper Niantic.
Maybe Nintendo could use its partial ownership of thePokemonfranchise and its relationship with Niantic to havePokemon GOwork with a new main seriesPokemongame for NX. Perhaps such a game would allow players to transfer Pokemon caught inPokemon GOto the NX release, and if so, NX could even attract some of the casual gamers that have been introduced to Pokemon through the mobile game.
Hypothetical NXPokemongames aside, this is isn’t the first time we’ve heard of Nintendo NX beingcompatible with mobile devices, and it may not be the last. Nintendo is looking to launch NX this coming March, so an official unveiling should come soon, and with it, clarification on its possible mobile compatibility.
